The big-headed ghost and the small-headed ghost are two minor officials in the underworld who are so ordinary that they couldn't be more ordinary.
It is the same in any world; strength and status determine everything.
The polar regions are the same, and the residences are the same.
This is a remote village sixty miles away from the Ghost Gate, inhabited by some idle ghost cultivators with no connections in the extreme domain, some small ghost soldiers and ghost messengers who have not yet made a name for themselves, or very down-and-out ghost officials like the Big-Head Ghost and the Little-Head Ghost.
The low houses are all made of mud bricks.
The two rooms at the front had collapsed in half and were clearly uninhabitable. Only the room on the right, which originally belonged to the kitchen, seemed to still be barely holding on and standing on the ground.
The black badlands were cracked and the clumps of weeds had turned yellow.
Although he had not been in the underworld for a long time, Zhang Tang knew that the grass under his feet was the best reflection of the seasonal changes in the polar regions.
This grass with slender leaves and white tips is called "heavenly grass" in the polar regions.
In spring, the tips will appear a tender green; in summer, they will turn dark black; in autumn, they will be whitish; in winter, they will be a wonderful deep blue.
Now is autumn in the polar region.
The sky behind was already gloomy and gradually darkened.
There is no sun here, but there are changes of day and night.
Walking on the dry and cracked land and the gradually deepening haze, Zhang Tang slowly approached the dilapidated courtyard.
His footsteps were slow, with a sense of neither haste nor leisure.
His tall figure cast a long shadow that moved as he moved forward.
The uniform of the ghost official is dark black. When worn by others, it would look ordinary, but when worn by him, it also reveals a heavy air of death, but at the same time, a heavy air of evil.
Judge Chu with red eyebrows said that this was because he had killed too many people in his life, and his soul was gradually contaminated by this infection.
For ghost cultivators, it seems to have only benefits and no harm.
A blue vertical mark between his eyebrows made his dull face look even more inhuman, with the sharpness and coldness of a carving knife blade.
It is his habit to walk slowly with his hands behind his back.
The habit of being an official on an isolated island on earth.
Even though he is just a small ghost official now, it seems difficult to change.
"Pah, pah..."
The footsteps gradually approached, but there was no movement in the house. I didn’t know if no one was there.
As soon as this thought came to Zhang Tang's mind, he suddenly heard a "squeak" sound in his ears.
He looked up.
The only kitchen door that was still intact was actually opened. The little-headed ghost was standing at the door. When he saw him, his face was full of surprise. Then he took a step out and turned around to close the door very naturally.
"Oh, who is that? Lao Zhang, why are you here?"
The door opened quickly, but closed just as quickly.
In the dark room, there seemed to be something vague, but it was not clear.
As the door closed, nothing could be seen.
Zhang Tang keenly noticed that something was wrong.
Walking all the way from the village, the white-haired ghost heard that he was coming to look for the big-headed ghost and the small-headed ghost, so he said that the two had borrowed a bunch of firewood from him and he didn't know what they were going to do with it.
The ghosts in the polar regions are always in a state of hunger.
Borrowing firewood, probably to cook something.
Because of its yin nature, locust wood is the most common type of wood used for cooking in the Jiyudi, and this is also the type of wood that the white-haired ghost borrowed.
Now that he found that the little-headed ghost closed the door so quickly, Zhang Tang sneered in his heart: he had no interest in the food in Jiyu.
He just thought that the person didn't want him to know what was inside, so he didn't care.
Seeing the little-headed ghost coming down, Zhang Tang took out two thick gray books hidden in his sleeves and said straight to the point: "Judge Chu has ordered that these two volumes of Tianmingchao be handed over to you for processing."
The gray leather books were each two fingers thick.
There are no eye-catching patterns on the surface, only the three words "Tianmingchao" written vertically on the left, and three smaller notes below, "Zhang Hell Si", indicating that these two copies of "Tianmingchao" are related to Zhang Hell Si.
"This is the list of new ghosts sent back from the Palace of Prince Qin Guang in the past seven days. They are all evil people, and we need to determine their crimes and the punishments they should receive. Gu and Xing have already received part of it, and Judge Chu has asked me to give these two to you."
As he spoke, Zhang Tang handed over the two thick books in his hand.
The little-headed ghost who had just stood in front of Zhang Tang suddenly felt a toothache.
He wished he could stab to death this guy, whom Judge Chu valued the most, with just two strikes.
Zhang Tang is the most unpopular ghost official in the underworld recently. He always has a dead face and is nicknamed "the death ghost". He basically never brings any good news to people.
Still today.
His eyes fell straight on the two thick books. The little-headed ghost was extremely nervous before, worried that someone would find out that he had picked up a living person and wanted to cook him. But now he was filled with grief as if he had lost his parents.
"this… "
He hesitated and didn't extend his hand, wanting to find an excuse to refuse.
Zhang Tang just lifted his eyelids indifferently, and his pair of emotionless eyes, with a clear and cold gaze, fell on the face of the little-headed ghost.
At that moment, the little-headed ghost's hair stood up!
This look is simply amazing!
He felt as if he was pricked by a needle. Without hesitation, he reached out and grabbed the two copies of "Tianmingchao" in his arms.
"Haha, hahaha, I was distracted, I was distracted..."
"Thank you, Lao Zhang, for taking the trip. Well, you know that my two brothers can hardly read. If there is something we don't recognize, we will probably have to ask you later."
"By the way, is there anything else for Chu Pan? How's the axe issue going?"
A series of words came out of the little-headed ghost's mouth.
This happens when he's nervous.
Zhang Tang was actually just a ghost from the Wrongful Death City, so why did he always carry a frightening aura? Just by looking at him like this, the little-headed ghost felt unwell.
He was secretly sweating coldly, hoping to change the subject so that he could breathe a sigh of relief.
The "Tianmingchao" was no longer in his hand, so Zhang Tang withdrew his hand.
He glanced at the little-headed ghost, recalled the word "axe" he mentioned in his last sentence, and suddenly became dazed.
Outside the gates of hell, there was an axe flying from the sky.
The whole body is pitch black, but there are ferocious blood-red patterns flashing on it, like flowing blood.
I remember that what I saw in the killing world back then was never this horrifying.
Or maybe the axe itself is just terrifying.
It was only because there was a female cultivator who did not look ferocious holding it that the fierce aura on the axe was neutralized.
Nowadays, almost all the people at the top of the entire Polar Region are shocked by this axe from outer space.
When he left Judge Chu's place today, he already knew that the Eight-Directions Yama Palace had sent people, but he didn't know how the situation would develop next.
No one seemed to know where the axe came from.
Zhang Tang didn't know how the axe got here.
The most bizarre experience he had in the human world was probably the one where he killed the Red Little World. Now that the old things he had seen there appeared here, he was completely puzzled.
He has only been in Jiyu for a short time and has no foundation.
No one would know that he actually knew something about the axe, and no one came to ask him. Zhang Tang had no interest in telling others about it, so he simply pretended not to know about it.
He lowered his eyes and raised his hand, and his slightly cool fingertips stroked the vertical mark between his eyebrows.
This was left behind during the trip to kill Hong Xiaojie.
"Old Zhang?"
Some strange noises suddenly sounded.
Zhang Tang raised his head and saw the little-headed ghost looking at him strangely.
He didn't look embarrassed at all, and just said casually: "I was distracted for a moment. There's nothing going on with Judge Chu, and there's no news. I'm not the kind of person who likes to ask about these things."
So this means he is a little devil who likes to pry for information, right
Okay, I won’t ask anymore.
The little ghost smiled and said, "Big Head is not here today. I will tell him about the "Tianming Transcript" when he comes back. I will make sure to give it to Chu Pan on time the day after tomorrow morning."
In fact, Zhang Tang didn't care about this. Other people's affairs had nothing to do with him. He was only making this trip today because Judge Chu had given the order.
He listened, nodded casually, and said, "Then Zhang will take his leave."
The little ghost stood there and nodded, "Okay, Lao Zhang, walk slowly and be careful on the road!"
Zhang Tang didn't say a word, turned around and walked out of the yard.
As soon as the other person left the yard, the little ghost saw him and immediately spat on the ground: "Bah, what a bullshit! You are so powerful coming from the City of the Dead!"
The little-headed ghost never liked the new ghost official.
First, this person never knew what it meant to give face to others. He was ruthless and impartial in his actions, and didn't give face to anyone. Fortunately, he had Judge Chu to protect him.
Secondly, this person has been very popular recently. I heard that he will participate in the "Dingzhan" of the Eight Directions Hell Palace in the future. Who knows, he might be the next judge who will change the world.
It is common for ordinary people, or ordinary ghosts, to be jealous of others' talents and abilities.
It was common for the little ghosts to dislike Zhang Tang.
He rolled his eyes several times in the direction where Zhang Tang left, still feeling angry. It took him a while to remember that there was someone waiting for him in the room.
He turned his head and looked around. The whole village was very deserted and no one noticed this place. He put two copies of "Tianmingchao" in his pocket and disappeared in a flash.
Inside the house.
Jianchou was still tied up in the water tank obediently. The water was still boiling, but she seemed unaffected.
His eyes swept across the black and silver stones in the dents on the ground, and Jianchou knew that this was probably the "Hunyuan Formation" that could isolate all movement.
The little-headed ghost is quite cautious in doing things, especially when his life is at stake.
The conversation outside had ended, but she still couldn't remember where that familiar voice came from.
It seemed that she should have heard this voice before, but it definitely did not appear very often, so the impression was not deep enough, and she was not familiar with it to the point where she could remember who it was as soon as she heard it.
"Squeak."
The door opens.
The little-headed ghost came in, turned around and quickly closed the door.
“Pah.”
The room became dark again.
The big-headed ghost quickly came over, his face full of nervousness: "Why is he here?"
"What else could it be? Didn't you hear it? The Mandate of Heaven!"
The little ghost had a gloomy look on his face. He threw two notebooks heavily onto the stove. Thick dust immediately splashed up and filled the entire house.
The big-headed ghost was choked and coughed a few times, unable to speak for a while.
But even so, his eyes fell on the two volumes of "Tianmingchao", and his face looked as if he was about to lose his life.
Are you kidding? Another job for “Tianmingchao”
For these two illiterate little hooligans, this was a life-threatening matter.
When a new ghost comes to the underworld, he or she first passes through the Ghost Gate and is escorted to the first palace, Qin Guangwang Palace. The judges and ghost officials under Qin Guangwang make a simple judgment on whether he or she is good or evil. If the ghost is more good than evil or half and half evil, he or she will be sent directly to the eighth palace, the Wheel-Turning King, to enter reincarnation.
Those who have done more evil than good are placed on a mirror table to reflect their right and wrong, good and evil deeds throughout their lives, and the records are then made in a book called "Tianmingchao".
Then the "Heavenly Mandate" was sent down, and people were asked to check the merits and demerits of these new ghosts in their lifetime, and then compare them with the scope of punishment in the hells under the jurisdiction of the Eight Directions Yama Palace to decide what kind of punishment they should receive and how long they should be punished...
The task now assigned by Judge Chu is to check the list and then send it to the Chief of Hell.
In a word, it’s difficult, too difficult!
The small-headed ghost was unhappy, and the big-headed ghost seemed to have lost his parents.
Jianchou didn't understand the situation, so he just looked down curiously and saw the words above, which were exactly the same as the current words on the isolated island on earth.
She didn't pay attention and looked at it twice more.
Unexpectedly, the little ghost looked up and saw it. He immediately got angry and grabbed the book back, saying, "Look, what are you looking at?"
"… "
You obviously put it there yourself.
Jianchou looked at him innocently.
The big-headed ghost was also quite speechless. He pulled the small-headed ghost and wanted to say something.
The little-headed ghost didn't feel embarrassed at all. There was nothing he could do. He was a gangster when he was alive and he couldn't change after his death. He was just thick-skinned. What can he do to me
He glanced at the big-headed ghost and snorted, "Big-headed, we can't lose heart. This female cultivator came from outside, but she probably has no skills to use. Let's continue to cook her. It's probably because the heat is not enough and she won't be cooked through. Let's add some firewood and make a continuous formation. Let's cook it overnight, and there will definitely be a good pot of broth tomorrow morning."
"Gurgle."
The big-headed ghost swallowed his saliva after hearing this, obviously thinking about food.
He looked at Chou hesitantly, still struggling for a moment between eating and morality, but only for a moment.
The next moment, the big-headed ghost happily walked over to the door, picked up a piece of locust wood, and threw it directly into the fire, with a firm face: "Little head, you are right, I will burn two more to try..."
"Boom..."
This locust wood burns very quickly and is ignited almost as soon as it is thrown in.
In the blink of an eye, the flames shot up a little higher.
The water reached Jianchou's neck, and the boiling water surface was very close to her ears. For a while, the sound of "gurgling" boiling water was endless.
The heat rising made her vision even blurrier.
But…
There was only one expression on Jianchou's face: indifference.
She wanted to persuade them not to waste their time, but then she thought: Let them burn their own food, what does it have to do with her
While the two men were still thinking about chopping with knives or axes and were determined to hang themselves on the crooked tree of "Cook and Eat", she had to seize the time to think about how to escape.
So, Jianchou remained strangely silent and closed his eyelids.
Darkness helps with thinking.
First, she arrived at the Extreme Region, a place that existed only in legends for the monks of the Nineteen Continents;
Second, this local warrior is very strange, and has no way to use any spiritual power; as for spiritual consciousness, it seems that it can be used a little, but it cannot leave the body more than one foot;
Third, the Human Emperor Sword, Qiankun Bag, and Spirit Beast Bag are all still here, but because they are more than a foot away from him, they cannot be used.
If the inability to use spiritual power is not temporary, then the most useful items for her now should be the Qiankun Bag and the Spirit Beast Bag.
There are a little mink and a bone jade in the spirit beast bag, which at least have some fighting power; there is an emergency talisman and some other pills in the Qiankun bag, which may come in handy.
The only problem was that both of these items required spiritual awareness to open, and she was tied up in a water tank and couldn't get close to them for the time being.
After all the calculations, everything is back to square one: at least you need to get out first.
Do you want to use the things in your Qiankun bag as bargaining chips
She sighed in her heart and became a little hesitant.
The two little ghosts below, however, were filled with excitement.
It seemed that after hearing what the little-headed ghost said just now, they suddenly found the crux of why Jianchou could not be cooked: there was not enough time!
It takes one or two hours to stew pork, so how can it take no time to stew a monk
Comparing Jianchou to pork makes so much sense.
The big-headed ghost kept adding firewood, wiping the hot sweat from time to time. The small-headed ghost looked at the increasingly fierce flames in the stove with shining eyes, muttering harsh words, saying that he would teach Jianchou a lesson.
Seeing that the formation for rekindling the fire had been set up and the firewood had been placed in the right place, the two men finally stopped.
The little-headed ghost patted his dusty hands, got up and looked, and saw that Jianchou had actually closed his eyes!
My goodness, he must have been cooked to death!
"Hahaha… "
The little ghost suddenly laughed triumphantly and snorted, "Fight with me!"
Jianchou's mouth twitched. He heard it, but wisely didn't say anything.
Her face was hidden in the mist, and the little-headed ghost couldn't see the slightest expression on her face.
Anyway, when they found out that Jianchou had fainted, the big-headed ghost and the small-headed ghost became happy.
The two of them chatted for a while, discussing how they must get up early tomorrow to eat meat and drink soup, and then prepared to go to bed.
Unexpectedly, before going to bed, the big-headed ghost pointed at the two copies of "Tianmingchao" in the small-headed ghost's arms with shaking fingers, and was a little hesitant to say anything.
"Then... what should we do about this..."
"… "
The little-headed ghost, who was just happy about his success in cooking a person, suddenly felt like he was slapped on the head, and all the joy disappeared.
The two volumes of "Tianmingchao" in his arms suddenly became heavy. It didn't feel like he was holding two booklets, but rather two mountains that were about to fall down at any time.
Looking up, the small-headed ghost looked at the big-headed ghost, then looked at the two books in his arms.
After a while, he said, "Judge Chu will be there the day after tomorrow... How about we take a look tonight?"
have a look…
hehe.
Half an hour later, Jianchou heard the following conversation.
"Daxia, Huai'an Yancheng Zhaojiagou, Li San."
"Thirty-six years old, young... young... how do you pronounce this word?"
"I don't know, it seems to mean stealing. That's right, stealing!"
"Hmm. He stole when he was young. Let me see. He should be sent to the Seventh Palace, the Hell of the King of Mount Tai, where he is in charge of grinding meat into paste. How long has it been?"
…
"Dongcheng Xu Pingsheng, Weishan... What is this? Little head, take a look, what does this mean?"
"It looks like the word thief, thief..."
"Yeah?"
"Maybe..."
"If it's a bandit, it's murder for money. If it's not a bandit, then you won't be punished..."
"Come on, stop asking. Circle him up and go to the government office to ask tomorrow morning."
"Yes, yes, yes... circle this one too..."
It was beginning to get dark outside.
The room became a little dark.
There was a constant stream of trivial discussions, and it seemed that the pain had reached the extreme, and they were just about to beg for help from everyone.
When Jianchou listened, he couldn't help feeling frightened.
These two people, or two ghosts, were actually using the "Tianming Chronicle" to determine what kind of punishment the dead should receive in hell
Legends about the underworld, the King of Hell, and the Book of Life and Death on the lonely island on earth...
It’s actually true.
My mind is wandering.
She remembered what she had said before: "The longer the night, the more dreams you have."
The eyes that had been closed for a long time opened silently.
An oil lamp had been lit in the room at some point and was placed on the broken table diagonally in front of Jianchou, with the shadow of the lamp flickering.
The two brothers, Big Head Ghost and Small Head Ghost, were both lying on the table with a large book called "Tianmingchao" spread out in front of them. The book was filled with people's names.
The little-headed ghost pointed a finger at the name, and a larger area of denser text appeared in front of him, making people dizzy.
The big-headed ghost was biting the handle of an emerald green brush, which made a "crunching" sound. He was scratching his ears and cheeks, and his shoulders slumped, as if he wanted to collapse under the table.
"How do you pronounce this..."
…
It is confirmed that the ghost officials working in the underworld of the extreme region are really illiterate.
How did he get to this position
I give up.
Jianchou felt a ridiculous admiration and pity for the two little devils as they almost knelt in front of the "Tianmingchao" with such a miserable look on their faces.
However, it is undeniable that this is a great opportunity.
Seeing that the big-headed ghost's head was about to poke the sharp brush, Jianchou finally spoke up: "Um, do you two need help?"
"… "
The bitter expression on the little ghost's face suddenly froze.
"… "
The big-headed ghost was so scared that he suddenly raised his hand and poked the pen tip directly into his eye socket.
The two little ghosts turned their heads together and saw the "resurrected" female cultivator sitting on the stove...
Are you a copper pea